International Seat Selection

[dylarr]

I thought OLCI was blocked but I've now proven that it's not blocked but I can't print boarding pass.

Please answer the question on why I cannot choose seats during this OLCI process but Qantas still happy to take my money if I choose to pay for those seats.

As RichardMEL suggested above, what you've described just how Qantas "blocks" OLCI. The system will say you've checked in but your check-in goes into a verification required state and you can't proceed any further to select a seat or issue the boarding passes. This exact same scenario will also happen to you if you click "Yes" on travelling with dangerous goods or if you fail automated visa checks. Why do they also block the seat selection and not just hold the boarding pass? Who knows.

Unfortunately by the time you've noticed this, due to the imminent departure the flight will now be under airport control meaning no telephone agent will be able to do anything to assist as their authority to make such changes in the system is removed and restricted to airport staff only.

Am I surprised about the lack of consistency of being able to still do paid seat selection even though the OLCI seat selection is blocked? Having read through most of the QF IT gripes thread, not really.

 

[RichardMEL]

It should be pretty easy for QF though to, when attempting OLCI, to scan the PNR, they know the destination. Is it on a blocked list? Yes. Stop there and then with a "Sorry, for reasons out of our control at this time we are unable to check you in online. You must proceed to the airport for verification in person" (this applies to my experience with UA above, and I actually got a friend to give feedback directly to the team responsible.. who knows if they have done anything or not mind you lol).

Even simpler still, on the app/QF website, since they know the destination, just grey out OLCI as an option in my bookings/MMB.

These things could be handled much better, but it's not just QF who doesn't handle it well (not that this is an excuse).

 

[JohnK]

Scoot has 787's... is that what you want? I would say the SQ A350's are pretty nice too, but I digress.

John if they are booked under a separate booking then IMO you are asking a bit much. Sure it's your family and I get that, but they don't have status. So maybe since I'm P1 but my no status nobody mate is flying to Japan I should just get him an free exit row? I wouldn't even ask for my sister who is flying to OOL in a week. I don't know of any other airline who would extend benefits in this case (with the exception of redeeming points for tickets)

Sure, common sense would hopefully see an agent take pity but if non status pax are on separate bookings.....

Scoot has 787s but I don't think SQ has them yet. 787s to be avoided like the plague.

I know I'm asking for a bit much but complimentary seats for 3 on same booking but complimentary seats just for me on 2 bookings.

As I said Qantas still received money for 3 airfares and it is clear to see we have same return flights so not possible to be on one booking. It wouldn't have hurt to assist would it?

Anyway enough on this topic, don't want to bore TheInsider too much with my whinging. Bright and early to airport tomorrow to try and get better seats.

 

[mannej]

SQ does have the 787 and have had them for a while.

 

[RichardMEL]

Yes, SQ have a small fleet of 787-10's.

I'm not sure how you (JohnK) are not getting complementary seats for you on two bookings if you're in them. I guess I misunderstand.

Anyway for the purposes of information only I just checked in without incident for my EK flight, seat selection etc no issue. I know that doesn't help this situation, but thought I'd mention it as a FYI

 

[piglet]

Lucky you @RichardMEL , guess i'll be heading to the airport early tomorrow. I haven't flown QF in ages, not too happy about it now!

 

[JohnK]

Yes, SQ have a small fleet of 787-10's.

I'm not sure how you (JohnK) are not getting complementary seats for you on two bookings if you're in them. I guess I misunderstand.

Anyway for the purposes of information only I just checked in without incident for my EK flight, seat selection etc no issue. I know that doesn't help this situation, but thought I'd mention it as a FYI

I have 1 booking and I have selected seats already as I don't want to spend any flying time behind a serial recliner.

I'm forced into a separate booking for wife and daughter as they are on different outbound flights. Is there a way of doing this in one booking? Wife and daughter flying today, me next week and returning together? Probably not.

Anyway ended up at BNE airport ~7:50am this morning and checkin was open. All the seats I saw available were still available. She didn't want to allocate row 25 but we got row 28 which is much better than row 51.

Interesting to see what happens with OLCI for me next week and if same issues.

Avoid 787s at all costs.

 

[RichardMEL]

Lucky you @RichardMEL , guess i'll be heading to the airport early tomorrow. I haven't flown QF in ages, not too happy about it now!

Hope you didn't go too early given it's been delayed due to QF94 diversion (fog)

but yeah hope it worked out the way you wanted.

Post automatically merged: Feb 12, 2020

OT - 787's - while I am far from a fan of the window system I find them a perfectly acceptable aircraft in all other respects. With the higher cabin pressure I definitely feel much better coming off a 14+ hour flight than on previous generations of aircraft. Each to their own though.

 

[piglet]

Hope you didn't go too early given it's been delayed due to QF94 diversion (fog)

but yeah hope it worked out the way you wanted.

Got there just about when check in is open..got my preferred seat (last row, window), able to sleep for 4 hours comfortably as my row is empty flight is pretty empty though.

 

[RichardMEL]

Regarding the emails about changed immigration rules and all that due to Coronavirus... I was somewhat bemused to land in Singapore and open up my email to find I had one for my "upcoming trip" that had arrived while I was in flight

SMH

 

[JohnK]

Interesting end to this saga.

When I went to check in online for wife and daughter last week to choose seats close to me they had already been assigned the 2 seats behind me. I do wonder who ended up assisting as I did send complaint to Qantas on the road blocks I'd encountered with this booking.